Our Songs
by independentmusician
Summary: A bunch of drabbles involving the cast of Glee! Set to songs. T for safety. Not all drabbles will be couples. Some will be friendships, others couples, others family.
1. The Night Before Life Goes On

**Hey there! I know the last thing I should do is start another story, but I couldn't resist. This story will be a lot of different drabbles of all the pairings of Glee! Set to songs that I hear and deem story-worthy or that YOU GUYS (the readers) suggest to me! And, if you so wish, you tell me what couple it be set to. These will be in no chronological order, and each is its own independent story.**

**Don't forget to review and suggest songs/pairings to me. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

><p><strong>Pairing: <strong>Rachel/Finn (Finchel)

**Song: **"The Night Before (Life Goes On)" by Carrie Underwood

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Sitting up on the roof, sneaking a smoke by the chimney, checking out the moon and the city lights. He takes off his flannel shirt, and he drapes it around her shoulders, slides up behind her and holds on tight." <strong>_

Rachel stared out across the field from her spot on the roof of Finn's house. She ran her fingers over the rough shingles of the roof while Finn played with the fray of his jeans.

The breeze picked up, and Rachel's hair blew in front of her face, and a few strands stuck to her tear-streaked cheeks. She shivered, more in the realization of their situation as compared to the cold.

Finn stared at the moon. He and Rachel had been sitting out here since barely past dusk, when the moon started rising, and now the moon was high in the sky, casting an eerie glow over the small field behind his house.

From beside him, he felt Rachel shiver as the wind picked up. Wordlessly, he pulled his flannel plaid shirt and draped it over Rachel's shoulders as he sat behind her, pulling her into his lap.

Rachel curled into the warmth that was Finn and intertwined their fingers, playing with the hem of his white t-shirt.

"_**And she says, 'I don't want this night to end…Why does it have to end?' Tomorrow she'll be rolling down I-10, Baton Rouge, LSU, 18 years in her rearview."**_

"Finn," she whispered, trying to control the emotion in her voice.

"Yeah?" he replied softly, his voice low and raw. These were the first words spoken since they had arrived up here.

"I don't want to leave this," she whimpered. Finn tightened his grip on the small brunette.

"I know," he whispered into her hair. "But this is what you want – no, scratch that – _need_ to do, Rach. You and Kurt and Blaine are going to board that plane to New York tomorrow morning and seal the deal. You three cannot and will not ever be Lima Losers. Ever. Not after Julliard and NYU. It's impossible." Finn sighed as his lecture drew to a close.

Rachel was speechless in his arms. Tears still fell down her cheeks.

"_**He's got a Friday paycheck lined up down the block at daddy's shop. It ain't much but it's a job. They've been dreading this moment all summer long… The night before life goes on." **_

"Finn, I don't want to leave," she said again. "I don't want to leave you,"

"Babe, I'm staying here to go to Ohio State and work with Burt at the car shop. I have a full ride scholarship, and I'm saving my paychecks. Just for a year, then I should have enough to head out to New York with you," Finn heard the crack in his own voice.

"I never wanted this day to come," Rachel's voice was almost inaudible, but still dripping with emotion.

"Me either, Rach. But we both knew it was coming." Finn nuzzled Rachel's neck softly, breathing in her comforting scrent. Vanilla mixed with coconut, and add to that the faint smell of smoke from the glee club bonfire earlier that evening. This was the scent he'd remember for an entire year while she was gone.

"Since graduation. We knew it was coming for that long," she whispered.

"_**A tear falls off her cheek and right when it hits his arm he says, 'Come on baby, let's get outta here.' They take one last drive around town, and man it already looks different. He bangs the wheel and says, 'life ain't fair. And this growing up stuff man I don't know…I just don't wanna let you go.'"**_

Rachel had been trying to keep Finn from knowing she was crying, and had been succeeding so far.

Finn felt something hit his arm, but didn't see any rain clouds. "Rach? Are you crying?" he asked gently. Deciding not to fight it anymore, Rachel sniffed lightly before nodded. Finn's grip became almost crushing as he held her closer, tighter. He wanted to protect from anything and everything that could ever go wrong.

"Let's go walking," he suggested quietly. He stood and helped Rachel stand as well. She nodded wordlessly. They climbed down to the ground, and Finn wrapped a protective arm around Rachel's waist as they walked.

They just wandered the small town of Lima, passing playgrounds, restaurants, and schools. Rachel shook her head. "I can't believe that I've lived here my entire life, and I'm leaving," she stopped in front of the elementary school.

"This used to be my favorite place ever," Finn whispered in the darkness of night. "Now it just looks so…small and it seems like forever ago that I found refuge here," he chuckled.

"Really?" Rachel's sweet voice was louder than it was a few minutes ago, and Finn hoped that was a good thing. "Why?"

"I used to come out here with Puck and Mike to that field. It seemed so big to us at the time, and we'd pretend we were professional football players. And I remember coming out here the day my dad died," Finn sighed. "I sat in the tube slide and cried my fucking eyes out," he laughed humorlessly.

"And I came to ask you what was wrong," Rachel spoke up, sounding dazed.

"Exactly. That's when I first met you, Rachel Berry," Finn murmured affectionately, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "You never did tell me why you were there that day," he realized. "It was a Sunday afternoon, and you came to the park alone. Why?"

Rachel sighed. "My dads had been fighting and that was where I normally went to get away," she nearly whispered. Finn hugged her.

"I wish we could go back. Not grow up. Just stay eight years old. Where everything could be fixed with a cookie, a hug from a parent, and crying your eyes out in a slide. It's not fair anymore," Finn sighed. He felt Rachel rubbing his back.

"I know," she replied, her voice cracking.

"I don't want you to go," Finn said the same time Rachel said, "I don't wanna go." the two turned toward each other, and Finn enveloped her in a huge hug as he carried her to the tube slide, where they squeezed into the small playscape, and sat there for the longest time, talking and crying, until the moon set and the sun began to rise.

"_**Yeah that's what my momma told me, and just like those kids, I didn't wanna listen to no one. Yeah there's nothing you can do, there's nothing you can say. And I know how it feels… when love goes away."**_

"_The day's going to come," Carole told Finn gently. "You can't avoid it. She's going to leave, and you're going to stay here. Because that's just the way things had to work out. Finn, you can't ignore me now. You can't shut her out all summer because you don't want to see her leave. If anything, spend every waking moment with her, so it will make up for all the time you'll be apart." Carole rubbed Finn's back gently as he laid on his stomach on his bed. Finn shook his head. _

"_I can't. I can't do this, Mom. She means the world to me, I love her." his voice cracked. _

"_Then show her. You need to show her, so she knows that you'll do everything to get to her as soon as you can." Carole replied quietly. _

So here he was, 7:30 A.M., at the airport. Watching as the small brunette cried into her fathers' shoulders. Kurt hugged Finn tightly, surprising even Finn with the strength, and Blaine even gave him a light hug before he took Kurt's hand and they headed toward security.

Then the brown eyes turned to him, and he watched as her beautiful eyes filled with tears. Suddenly, she was in his arms again, crying into his shoulder. Finn sat down on a bench, whispering in her ear, "I'm coming too. Just not now. You know I love you. I have no other words for you. I just have to say it again and again. I love you. I love you. I love you. It hurts so bad to see you leave, but I'm coming to you. I promise." he pulled away and looked at Rachel.

"I want you, Rachel Berry, to go take New York by storm with my step-brother and his boyfriend. I want you three to be running that city by the time I get there. Go sign your name with your little gold stars, go sing on the stages, everything. Understand?" Finn rasped, pressing his lips to hers.

"I understand," she sobbed back with a smile. With one more hug, he stood and squeezed her hand before letting go and watching her walk to security. She looked over her shoulder one more time before stepping through the scanner and meeting Kurt and Blaine on the other side. Finn watched as they walked until they blended into the crowd and he couldn't see her anymore. Then he turned and walked away, bracing himself for the longest year of his life.


	2. Miss Me Baby

**Hey there! Second chapter! Enjoy :) I don't enjoy this one as much as the other, but oh well. Here you go anyway! **

* * *

><p><strong>Pairing: <strong>Klaine

**Song: **"Miss Me Baby" by Chris Cagle

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Glee! :( Chris, however, is an OC.

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Miss me baby, when you hear our favorite song. Miss me baby, and when you start to sing along? Think about all the times that we danced in the light to it all night long, oh. Then miss me baby." <strong>_

Kurt sat on the couch in his living room, staring at the ceiling, the radio singing lightly beside him. The music to the next song started, and Kurt nearly fell off the couch in his haste to try to turn off the radio before the words started. But he wasn't fast enough.

"_You think I'm pretty, without any makeup on." _

Kurt sat on the edge of the couch, staring at the floor, making no move to turn the radio off. A familiar ache gripped his stomach.

"_You make me, feel like I'm living a teenage dream." _

Dropping his head into his hands, he began to remember. He didn't think of the first time Blaine sang this to him, oh no, that was too cliché. Instead, he thought of the first time they danced.

_Blaine stood up off the picnic blanket, pulling Kurt up with him. He pressed a button on the stereo, and the familiar instrumental filled the cool night air. Blaine pulled Kurt close, wrapping his arms around the taller boy's waist. And they danced together as the song played and the moon lit their world. _

Kurt groaned.

"_Let you put your hands on me, in my skin tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight!" _

Kurt let out a mangled, frustrated scream and kicked the radio. It skittered across the living room floor, unplugging itself from the wall. The silence was interrupted as Kurt stomped up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door.

"_**And want me honey, like you did the night you told me that you loved me. We couldn't wait anymore, left the keys in the door. Took my hand, pulled me down on the kitchen floor…Yeah, we were that crazy. So miss me baby."**_

Collapsing onto his bed, Kurt suddenly wanted nothing more than to be holding Blaine again, kissing him. Hell, he'd give anything to just TALK to him again. Another memory took over Kurt's brain as he laid there, contemplating the empty space beside him.

_Blaine opened the door to their dorm room, and saw that Kurt was already sitting at his desk. _

"_Honey, I'm home!" Blaine laughed as he shed his messenger bag on the floor. Kurt turned to Blaine with a laugh. _

"_Good," he replied jokingly as he stood to hug Blaine. Blaine rested his head on Kurt's chest. _

"_I love you," Blaine murmured before he could stop himself. "Oh, god, I mean, uh-" _

"_Just shut up and lemme kiss you," Kurt whispered as he leaned down to Blaine, lips meeting and fireworks exploding. _

_Next thing each boy remembers is the sound of alarm clocks. The boys, dazed, sat up as they realized both were shirtless and laying in Kurt's ed. _

_Blaine's blazer lay discarded on the floor, his button up shirt tossed aside as well. Kurt's t-shirt lay in a crumpled heap by the foot of the bed. Kurt reached for his shirt and pulled it on. Blaine's extremely chapped lips burned as he grinned, but he couldn't help it. _

"_God, you're crazy…" both boys breathed as they worked to get ready for the day. _

A tear slipped down Kurt's cheek as he touched his lips gently with his fingertips. He could still taste the wonderful taste that was Blaine if he thought hard enough.

"_**Because when he's holding you, know that it's killing me. Let my memory be the reason, girl that you can't sleep."**_

Kurt knew that when he had broken up with Blaine, he had made a huge mistake. But he felt like since Blaine was going away to college, the dapper boy would want a clean slate, a fresh start. So Kurt had left him, despite Blaine's objections. Kurt was miserable.

And then he found Chris. The tall blonde basketball player was Kurt's roommate, and they hit it off well. They began dating about a month into Kurt's senior year.

Then Blaine had come back to Dalton, to see all his Warbler friends for Christmas. Walking into the common room, Blaine found Chris holding Kurt, who was curled up, asleep, his head in Chris' lap. Infuriated, Blaine stomped out of the room before making a quick, silent exit.

When Jeff and Nick had told Kurt what had happened, Kurt was upset. He laid awake in bed that night, thinking. Memories haunted him, and he cried quietly as he realized how stupid he was to let go of Blaine.

"_**And every time you feel his touch, I pray to God it's not enough, and that I've touched your heart so deep…Girl you can't shake me. 'Cause I love you, yes I need you…Miss me baby."**_

At some point during the night, Chris heard the sound of Kurt's crying. He sat up and slowly made his way to Kurt's bed, lying down beside him.

Kurt, now extremely upset, turned and buried his head in Chris' chest, thinking it was Blaine. But the chest was too muscular, the arms too strong, and the cologne was wrong. Kurt sobbed. "I want Blaine," he whispered to himself. Chris was great, no doubt, but was nothing compared to Blaine.

"_I love you, Kurt Hummel. I do not want a fresh start or whatever it was you think I wanted. I want you. But I'm going to let you go. But, when you realize what you want for real, let me know, okay? I'll wait for you," Blaine kissed Kurt's forehead one more time before he walked away. _

"_**Miss me baby, until you can't take it no more. Miss me baby, pack your bags and hit the door. I'm a man, I was wrong, forgive me. Come back home, I'll be waiting, right here waiting. Miss me baby."**_

With another sob, Kurt pushed Chris away, scrambling out of bed and to his desk to grab his phone. "Kurt? Babe?" Chris sounded confused and hurt. Choking back a sob, Kurt ran out the door.

Chris let him go.

Kurt made his way to the choir room, pulling his knees to his chest when he sat on the couch. He dialed a familiar number on his phone.

"Hello?" the familiar, sleepy voice made Kurt smile, even through the tears.

"Blaine?" Kurt was surprised at how broken his voice sounded.

"Kurt," Blaine's voice perked up, and Kurt heard he sounds of shifting sheets as Blaine sat up. "How are you? Are you alright?"

"You act as if I'm not calling you at 2:30 in the morning!" Kurt sniffed. "As if this is normal,"

"It is Kurt," Blaine said quietly, and Kurt swore his heart stopped beating. "I told you I'd love you and be here for you. So, here I am. What's the matter? You sound like you're crying."

"I miss you," Kurt whispered, emotion weighing his voice down, and the boys talked through the night until the sun peeked through the curtains of the Dalton choir room.

* * *

><p><strong>A review would make me so happy! Especially if you tell me a song I should do! I promise my next one will be happy. I PROMISE :) Kthxbyeeee!<strong>


	3. Kiss Me Slowly

**Whoo! Two chapters of different stories in one night! I'm proud :) Okay, so you know the drill. Enjoy and review! Leave your requests, please! :)**

**OH! I forgot to mention that in the last chapter, I also used "Teenage Dream" by Katy Perry.**

* * *

><p><strong>Pairing: <strong>Samcedes (Sam/Mercedes)

**Song: **"Kiss Me Slowly" by Parachute

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Glee. :(

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Stay with me, baby stay with me tonight, don't leave me alone. Walk with me, come and walk with me, to the edge of all we've ever known. I can see you there with the city lights, fourteenth floor, pale blue eyes, I can breathe you in."<strong>_

Sam lay awake in the hotel bed, hearing Finn snore on the bed on the other side of the room. Kurt lay beside his step-brother, oblivious to the loud sounds in his ear. Mike and Artie were on an air mattress on the floor, and Puck was sprawled out next to Sam.

It was late. Sam avoided looking at the clock, because he knew it would make him angry. He heard a faint vibration from the floor beside his bed and a light shined dimly. Sam rolled onto his stomach and picked up his phone.

**Cedes: hey Sammy, u awake by any chance? (3:21 am) **

**Sam: of cuorse. y u upp? (3:21 am) **

Looking at the text, Sam once again cursed his dyslexia. And the fact that it was after 3 am.

**Cedes: cant sleep. wanna meet in the hall and talk? (2:22 am)**

**Sam: sre. leme find a shrit and ill met u outsied my rooom. (3:24 am) **

**Cedes: K (: (3:24 am) **

Sam rolled out of bed and grabbed his hoodie, then slid a keycard into his pocket before slipping out of the room silently.

"So, couldn't sleep?" he smiled as Mercedes opened her bedroom door and slid into the hotel hallway.

"Not at all. I think I'm nervous, but I don't know," she laughed nervously. Sam reached for her hand and they walked down the hallway to the window.

"New York," Sam breathed. "We made it," he smiled as he squeezed Mercede's hand.

"Yup," was her simple reply as the couple looked at the city from the fifteenth floor of the hotel. Sam wrapped an arm around Mercede's waist.

"_**Two shadows standing by the bedroom door. You know I could not want you more, than I did right then. As our heads leaned in, well I'm not sure what this going to be. But with my eyes closed all I see is: the sky line through the window, the moon above you and the streets below."**_

Sam glanced up at Mercedes as the girl looked out the window. A warm feeling swept over him, and he sighed in content. Mercedes turned and looked at him, eyebrows raised.

Sam wanted to kiss her. They hadn't been dating long, but god damn it, he wanted to kiss her.

Sam didn't know how she'd react as he leaned closer, closing his eyes. He could nearly see the two ways this could work out.

"_**Hold my breath as you're moving in. Taste your lips and feel your skin. When the time comes, baby don't run, just kiss me slowly."**_

Sam's breath caught in his throat as Mercedes' lips met his. He slowly relaxed and turned to face her completely and reached up to intertwine his fingers in her hair. Unlike when he kissed Quinn, a tingling feeling of sheer joy rocketed through Sam's body as he slowly deepened the kiss.

Finally, oxygen became necessary, and he pulled away softly. Mercedes bit her lip and looked at the floor, and Sam was afraid she'd walk away. _Maybe she didn't want that…._ he thought to himself.

But all his thoughts were silenced as she leaned in to kiss him again.

"_**Stay with me, baby stay with me. Tonight, don't leave me alone. She shows everything she used to know, picture frame and country roads. When days were long, and the world was small, she stood by as it fell apart. Separate rooms and broken hearts. But I won't be the one to let you go."**_

"Sam, open the door!" Mercedes called again.

"No," was the simple reply. "I'm not opening this door until it's time to go to the airport tomorrow," Same informed Merceds again. He sat on the edge of the bathtub, head in his hands.

"Sam, come on. Can we just talk? This isn't your fault!" Mercedes replied softly.

"I DROPPED Santana on stage! Of COURSE it's my fault!" Sam groaned, rubbing his still sore wrist.

"Sam," Mercedes sighed.

"Come on dude, I have to go!" Finn whined. Sam rolled his eyes.

"Go to our room," Mercedes told him. Once Finn was gone, she turned to the door again. "Come on Sam, no one else is here. At least let me in so we can talk." No answer. "Please?"

Sam stood and shuffled to the door, unlocking it. Mercedes pushed the door open as Sam resumed his spot on the side of the tub. Mercedes sat beside him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Why?"

"I ruined the experience. Don't even try to argue. We all know that the plan was to get here- and WIN. But we didn't. I dropped her and ruined the group number. Therefore, we didn't win. Jesse said so."

"Jesse's an idiot," Mercedes scoffed. "Don't take anything he says seriously. You wanna know what ruins a show? Falling off the stage when you're seven and scared of heights," Mercedes sighed as she rubbed Sam's knee. Sam giggled.

"Speaking from experience?" he smiled softly.

"A smile! Success!" Mercedes grinned and pulled Sam into a hug. "And yes," she pretended to pout.

"Thanks," Sam murmured, and he gently kissed Mercedes' cheek.

"It's my job as the girlfriend," she smiled as she stood and offered Sam her hand so they could walk. "Let's go explore. We leave in the morning, this is our last chance." Mercedes pulled Sam down the hallway, and Sam followed happily.

"_**Don't run away...And it's hard to love again. When the only way it's been, when the only love you knew? Just walked away. If it's something that you want, darling you don't have to run, you don't have to go."**_

Sam stood on Mercedes' doorstep, hiding flowers behind his back. Their six month anniversary was today, and nervous was an understatement. Sam's longest relationship before Mercedes had been a girl named Jenna back in Tennessee, and they had only dated for three months before she got bored and walked away.

He was determined to make this day perfect, and he wanted her to know that.

Mercedes opened the front door in her dress as she was putting in earrings. "Come on in," she smiled. Sam blushed and handed her the flowers. She grinned. "These are beautiful, Sammy," she leaned forward and kissed him gently.

And Sam knew that this was real. Mercedes wouldn't walk away, and he wouldn't ruin their relationship. So he kissed her back, trying to convey his thankfulness, love, and relief in the kiss.

It was perfect. He knew that everything he needed was standing in his arms right then, and come hell or high water, everything would be okay.


	4. Never Grow Up

**WOW. This is the longest drabble I've written so far. What can I say? This one was fun! Too much fun, I think. Don't forget to review and tell me what couples/songs you want me to write about! Thanks for the support! **

* * *

><p><strong>Pairing: <strong>Kurt/Elizabeth/Burt (Parent/Son relationship)

**Song: **"Never Grow Up" by Taylor Swift

**Disclaimer: **Glee still doesn't belong to me :(

* * *

><p><strong><em>"Your little hand's wrapped around my finger, and it's so quiet in the world tonight. Your little eyelids flutter because you're dreaming, so I tuck you in, turn on your favorite nightlight." <em>**

Elizabeth Hummel looked down at the small bed in front of her. Four year old Kurt Hummel was grasping her large hand in his small hand as he slept. Elizabeth quietly closed Kurt's favorite bedtime book, Goodnight Moon and stood to leave. She gently removed her hand from his, and Kurt shifted in his sleep at the loss of contact. He muttered quietly under his breath as he dreamed.

Elizabeth pulled the sheets up to Kurt's shoulders and leaned down to kiss his forehead before she laid the book on his bookshelf. She bent down and flipped on his Cinderella nightlight. She smiled as she remembered how Burt had tried to talk Kurt into the Superman nightlight, or the Toy Story one. But Kurt had cried and given his father the infamous puppy-dog eyes until he caved and bought the Cinderella nightlight.

With one last glance over her shoulder, Elizabeth turned off the light and gently shut the bedroom door quietly so she wouldn't wake her son.

"_**To you, everything's funny. You have nothing to regret. I'd give all I have honey, if you could stay like that. Oh darling, don't you ever grow up, just stay this little. Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up, it could stay this simple." **_

Burt Hummel absolutely loved waking up to the sound of his son's laughter. He lay in bed with his eyes closed as he listened to his wife and son talk quietly.

"How do you think we should wake Daddy up today?" Elizabeth whispered to Kurt.

"We should pour water on him!" Kurt giggled back, and Burt felt the toddler's hands on his back.

"RAAAAH!" Burt sat up quickly in the bed and attacked his son with tickles. A grin spread across Burt's face as his son erupted into laughter. "Who dares try to pour water on their father?" he growled as he tickled Kurt's stomach.

"I'm sorry, Daddy!" Kurt laughed, trying desperately to grab his father's wrists so the tickling would stop. "Stop Daddy! Stoooop!" he screeched.

"Never!" Burt replied, leaning down to touch Kurt's nose with his. Kurt's grin grew wider as Elizabeth stood up out of bed.

"Okay, boys, stop playing. Kurt, go get dressed so you can eat breakfast before you go to the Anderson's house," she said calmly.

"Awe, Mommy!" Kurt pouted.

"Awe, Lizzy!" Burt echoed. Elizabeth shook her head with a smirk.

"Sometimes it's like I'm raising two kids, not one," she teased as she headed for the master bathroom. "By the time I get out of the shower, Kurt better be dressed!" she warned lightly before shutting the door.

"Do I hafta?" Kurt pouted up at his father.

"Is today a shop day?" Burt asked. "Do you want to come to work with Daddy today?"

"YEAH!" Kurt grinned and stood up, beginning to jump on the bed excitedly. "Can I? Can I _please, _Daddy?"

"Sure, why not?" Burt laughed. "Go get dressed while I call the Andersons and tell them you aren't coming," he groaned as he stood up and watched Kurt run out of the room excitedly. Burt sat back and wished with all his might that Kurt's life could always be that simple.

"_**I won't let nobody hurt you, won't let no one break your heart. No, no one will desert you. Just try to never grow up, never grow up." **_

Kurt was seven now, and in elementary school. Burt was sitting outside in his pickup truck, waiting for the bell to dismiss the classes. He glanced back down at the newspaper he brought along with him, and read it, trying to occupy himself until Kurt got in the truck.

His reading was interrupted as he heard the passenger side door open. Burt folded the newspaper and turned to smile at his son, but quickly frowned. "Kurt! What's wrong?" he asked, seeing his son's tear-streaked face.

"Nothing," Kurt mumbled, crawling into the seat and bringing his knees to his chest. Burt turned to face his son.

"Don't lie to me, champ. What's wrong?" Burt reached out to rub his dad's back.

"Stupid Dave! He's always mean to me and Britt and it makes me so mad!" Kurt cried. "He keeps stealing her from me so they can go kiss under the slide, and Britt gets mad when I don't wanna kiss her! And Dave tells me I should just go kiss Blaine, but I never do. Is that bad? Am I being mean to Blainers by not kissing him?" Kurt's tear filled eyes stared up at Burt.

"Oh, Kurt," Burt whispered, opening his arms. Kurt shot himself into the hug, and Burt hugged his young son tightly. "You're not being mean to Blaine at all. Dave's being mean to you, and so is Britt. But you just need to keep being nice, because that's what nice people do. Okay? I promise you, you're not doing anything wrong," Burt said quietly as he leaned down to kiss Kurt's head.

"Okay, Daddy," Kurt replied weakly.

"Alright, now sit up and buckle in, because Papa Burt is taking you out for ice cream," Burt smiled.

"Before dinner?" Kurt asked incredulously.

"Before dinner," Burt laughed.

"_**You're in the car on the way to the movies and you're mortified your mom's dropping you off. At 14, there's just so much you can't do. And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots. But don't make her drop you off around the block. Remember that she's getting older, too. And don't lose the way that you dance around in your PJs getting ready for school. No one's ever burned you, nothing's ever left you scarred. And even though you want to, just try to never grow up." **_

"Dad, this isn't fair!" Kurt whined. "Why can't I just walk? It's only like a 20 minute walk!"

"And you're only 14! You think I'm gonna let you walk around town by yourself to go see a movie?" Burt replied. "I don't see the big deal with me driving you! It definitely would keep your hair perfect like you're always complaining about," he scoffed.

"Blaine's mom is letting him walk!" Kurt pouted.

"If Blaine jumped off a cliff, would you jump too?" Burt replied cooly. "Now, if you want to stay and argue, go ahead. Or you can get in the car and I can drive you to the theater." he said, crossing his arms.

With a tortured sigh, Kurt trudged to the car. "At least drop me off at the gas station and let me walk that far," he collapsed into the truck seat.

"Kurt, no. Just think, two years and you can drive yourself everywhere," Burt reasoned, heading down the street.

"Yeah, and four years until I'm on my own and I can do what I want!" Kurt spit back.

"Yeah, very true," Burt replied. Burt knew Kurt was going through his phase, and in a couple hours, would be back to his normal self.

LINE

Turns out, it wasn't until the next morning that Kurt came to his senses. Burt was walking to his son's room to see what the brunette wanted for breakfast, but paused outside the door. He grinned as he saw Kurt dancing around in front of the mirror, wearing pajama pants and using his comb as a microphone.

Burt stood in the doorway and watched the impromptu performance, and once the song ended, Burt began to clap softly. Kurt turned around, blushing bright red. "Dad! How long have you been standing there?" he squeaked.

"Oh, second verse or so," Burt smirked. "But it's good to see you doing that. You used to do it all the time when you were young, and I've missed seeing you do that," he smiled and stretched his arms.

"Dad, I'm sorry about yesterday," Kurt said suddenly. "I just, I'm ready to grow up so people can stop making fun of me," he sighed.

"It's okay, bud. But, not going to lie to you, it doesn't get better when you grow up." Burt smiled sadly, and Kurt lowered his head.

"I figured it didn't, but I could hope, right?" Kurt's voice cracked, and Burt walked into the room, wrapping his son in a hug. "I wish I was small again," Kurt whimpered into his dad's chest.

"So do I, champ. So do I," Burt murmured.

"_**Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room. Memorize what it sounded like when you dad gets home. Remember the footsteps, remember the words said. And all your little brother's favorite songs. I just realized everything I have, is someday gonna be gone." **_

Kurt sat on his bed, aged 17, looking through a scrapbook. He ran his fingers over the glossy page, looking at the pictures of his room from when he was four. The walls were green, and a Cinderella nightlight was plugged into the wall, close to the small racecar bed. Kurt rubbed his knee over the small scar he remembered getting the day he tried jumping over the foot of the bed when he heard his dad yell, "I'm home!" like he did every day. The resulting injuries were quickly patched by a band-aid and the promise of ice cream after dinner. And Kurt teared up, realizing that things couldn't be fixed that easily anymore.

"_**So here I am in my new apartment, in a big city, they just dropped me off. It's so much colder than I thought it would be. So I tuck myself in and turn my nightlight on. Wish I'd never grown up. I wish I'd never grown up." **_

Kurt sat in his small apartment, basking in the silence. Finn, Carole, and Burt had just left, and it was the first bit of silence Kurt had all day.

He didn't like it.

_I'm in New York, _he thought to himself. _Nineteen and I'm finally out of Lima and in New York. Mom would be proud of me. I can call my own shots now. _Kurt smiled to himself and stood up, going to look out the window.

Looking out at the city lights, Kurt shivered involuntarily. Looking at the clock, he realized it was 10:30 pm. _Time for your first night in New York, your first night as an individual. _Kurt smiled. But once he laid in the dark room, it was too dark. Too quiet. Too cold.

So Kurt leaned over and pulled the worn nightlight out of the bedside table. Cinderella smiled back at him as he plugged the nightlight in. Shuffling over to the couch, Kurt grabbed the afghan his mom had made years and years ago. Turning on the radio, Kurt curled up into a ball and wrapped himself in the afghan. And he fell asleep wishing he hadn't grown up. But he knew that this life had greater things for him, and this was just the beginning.


	5. More Beautiful You

Hey! Sorry I've been gone so long. But this drabble has been bugging me forever. This is a very influential song to me, and I wanted to make this story reflect that. I really hope you enjoy it. This is a very sensitive topic to anyone, but I know there are many people struggling with self-image. I am always here to talk if you would like to, because I struggle with this, too. You are not alone. You are beautiful!

I got a tumblr! Follow me if you enjoy lots of glee reblogs ;D independentmusician . tumblr . com ( remove the spaces! )

Feedback appreciated!

* * *

><p><strong>Pairing: <strong>Tike (Tina/Mike)

**Song: **"More Beautiful You" by Jonny Diaz

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Glee!

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>Little girl fourteen flipping through a magazine, says she wants to look that way. But her hair isn't straight, her body isn't fake, and she's always felt overweight."<strong>_

Tina threw the magazine onto the floor of her bedroom. Looking up, her eyes accidentally met the mirror. Tears already welling in her eyes, the eighth grader stood to look at her reflection. Dark, baggy clothes hung off her body to hide it from the world. Pulling her shirt taut against her stomach, Tina once again cursed the hunger that kept coming back and forcing her to eat.

No matter what she tried, she couldn't get rid of the layers of fat she saw on herself. Pinching at the inch of skin on her stomach, she bit her lip and forced herself to look to something else. Her eyes landed on her hair, which she hated just as much.

She was already putting colored streaks into it, just to distract from the fact that she could not get it to straighten perfectly, like Quinn's could. There was always that one little flip at the bottom that Tina hated with every ounce of her being. And no matter how many times she ran the straightening iron over her hair, it wouldn't go away.

_**"Well, little girl fourteen, I wish that you could see that beauty is within your heart. And you were made with such care, your skin, your body and your hair…are perfect just the way they are."**_

Mike Chang pulled the yearbook off the shelf once again, the worn book automatically opening to the dog-eared page. His eyes immediately drifted to the center row of the page, where her picture sat. Tina's dark, shining eyes stared back at him, and a smile found its way to his face. Her face was so clear, so beautiful.

Her hair was dark and silky-looking, with soft blonde highlights. He really didn't understand why she kept high-lighting it all different colors. But then again, the fifteen year old boy didn't understand a lot about the elusive girl he was in love with. He didn't understand why he never saw her eat but small amounts of food or why she wore such baggy clothes when she had such an amazing body. But then again, he was a boy, and people always told him a boy's minds worked differently than a girl's.

But he did know one thing: Tina Cohen-Chang was the most beautiful girl in the whole world.

_**"There could never be a more beautiful you. Don't buy the lies, disguises and hoops, they make you jump through. You were made to fill a purpose that only you could do, so there could never be a more beautiful you."**_

"Tina! Finish your dinner!" Mrs. Cohen-Chang said worriedly. "You hardly eat anything anymore."

"I'm just not hungry, Mom." Tina replied softly, pushing her food around on her plate. She deliberately had taken the smallest piece of chicken that was available, and even then, only took a few bites.

"Tina, eat. Now." Mr. Cohen-Chang ordered. "You are wasting away to nothing!"

_Good, _Tina thought. _Maybe soon I'll look like the rest of the human population instead of the giant whale I am now. _

"Tina! I recognize that look. Have you been reading those magazines again? How many times have I told you, those are not good for girls your age? They lead to eating disorders and low self-esteem!" Mrs. Cohen-Chang began her lecture once again, and Tina zoned out. _I would have a psychologist for a mom. _

"I'm just not hungry, okay?" Tina said suddenly, standing up. Her chair scraped loudly across the floor, and it hid the sound of Tina's stomach growling as she bolted up the stairs to her room.

_**"Little girl twenty one, the things that you've already done, anything to get ahead. And you say you've got a man, but he's got another plan - only wants what you will do instead."**_

Here she was; an actress and dancer in Hollywood. Back in high school, Tina would have laughed if someone told her she would get here. That she would be –

"Hey, babe. Ready to go to dinner?" a deep voice interrupted Tina's thoughts, and Tina smiled and turned around.

"Hi, Richard. Of course I am!" she laughed, even though she knew she wouldn't eat. She couldn't remember the last time she had finished a meal…but that was beside the point. Richard took her hand and led her to the car. As they left the studio, Tina asked Richard where they were eating.

"My place," the man replied in a gravelly voice. For some reason, her boyfriend's words put an uneasy feeling in her stomach, but she shook it off as nerves. She had an audition tomorrow, she always was nervous.

That nervous feeling grew as they ascended the steps to Richard's apartment. "You know," Richard whispered, wrapping his arms around Tina's waist. "I have an in with the director of your audition tomorrow. And I may just be able to be persuaded into putting in a good word for you, hottie."

And that's the moment when Tina realized she wasn't going to be eating dinner with her boyfriend that night.

_**"Well, little girl twenty one you never thought that this would come. You starve yourself to play the part. But I can promise you; there's a man whose love is true, and he'll treat you like the jewel you are."  
><strong>_

"Mike Chang, I'm your choreographer." Mike stuck his hand out to shake the hand of the beautiful woman in front of him. She looked familiar, really familiar.

"Mike? Is that really you?" the woman asked. She looked at him with wide, bright eyes, and that's when Mike recognized her.

"Tina?" Mike's heart soared as he took in the woman in front of him. She was still beautiful, and he knew he was still in love. But she looked tired and broken. "How've you been?"

"I've been…good. Good, how have you been?" Tina answered, plastering a smile on her face. So much was conveyed in that small hesitation before her answer. Mike knew something was wrong. That she was lying. There was more to her story, and Mike was determined to find it out.

"Good. You know, instead of practicing, why don't we go grab some lunch?" Mike asked, extending his arm. Hesitantly, Tina linked her arm with his and they were off to eat. But once they were there, she didn't eat.

"I never eat before auditions," she said honestly to the confused man sitting across from her. _I never eat anymore, but you don't need to know that, _she thought to herself.

_**"So turn around, you're not too far - to back away, be who you are. To change your path, go another way. It's not too late, you can be saved. If you feel depressed, with past regrets, the shameful nights hope to forget. They can disappear; they can all be washed away by the one who's strong, can right your wrongs, can rid your fears dry all your tears. And change the way you look at this big world. He will take your dark distorted view. And with his light, he will show you truth. And again you'll see through the eyes of a little girl."**_

Tina stood up from her kneeling position in front of the toilet. Standing and using the wall to support her weight, Tina again cursed the salad she ate. _I need to brush my teeth really fast. Mike should be here soon. _

"Tina." The voice from the door startled Tina. She turned to see Mike standing there, pale.

"M-Mike. I'm sorry. Am I late? I guess I'm just not feeling well and-"

"That's a lie." Mike interrupted her, stepping closer into the bathroom. "You feel fine. You did that on purpose."

"T-that's not true!" Tina said just a little too quickly. Mike laid his hands on Tina's shoulders.

"Look in the mirror," he requested. "Just look." Tina brought her eyes from the floor to look in the mirror.

"What am I looking at?" she asked shakily.

"You always talk about how skinny I am, right?" Mike asked. "How I am too skinny and I need to eat more because it's not healthy?"

"Yes, because Mike, look at you!" Tina exclaimed, glad to get the attention off her. Mike turned them sideways.

"No, Tina, look at you." He whispered. His hands traveled down her arms until they rested on her waist. Tina gasped. There was Mike, looking normal for him, which was skinny and tall and perfect. And then there was a stick thin, tired looking girl in front of him. She was tinier than Mike, his hands could almost wrap around her waist completely. Tina's eyes travelled up the girl's body, to the girl's face, to tell her to stop, get healthy, that she didn't need to do this.

Tina saw her face in the mirror.

She brought a hand to her mouth and tears filled her eyes. "This isn't what I wanted." She sobbed. Mike immediately spun Tina around so her face was in his chest. She cried into his chest and he held her close, rubbing her back. After what seemed like hours, Tina lifted a tear stained face. "I want to change," she whispered, not making eye contact.

"You are beautiful, Tina. Always have been. Still are now. But we can change you, make you healthy again." Mike murmured, tilting her chin up with his fingers and connecting their lips softly.

"I didn't – I couldn't – I – thank you, Mike." Tina smiled softly and laid her head on Mike's chest again.

"Of course. Anytime, always." Mike kissed the top of Tina's hair. "So, lunch?"

Tina smiled and pulled away, intertwining their fingers. "Sounds great."

And as they walked out of the apartment, Tina knew it would be a long road to recovery, because she'd been like this for so long. But she knew that Mike would help her, and she knew that Mike was different than anyone she'd ever met before. Mike was special.

Mike would save her.


End file.
